Festive & Fun: Easy Christmas Ornament Crafts for Kids

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Why Crafting is More Than Just Fun: Developmental Benefits for Your Child
3. Our Top Easy Christmas Ornament Crafts for Kids
4. Maximizing Language During Craft Time: Tips for Parents
5. How Speech Blubs Supports Your Child’s Communication Journey
6. Conclusion
7. FAQ

Introduction

There’s a unique magic that fills a home during the holidays, especially when children’s laughter echoes alongside the jingle of festive tunes. But beyond the twinkling lights and delicious treats, there’s a quieter, often more profound joy in creating something with your own hands. Imagine your child beaming with pride as they hang a handmade ornament on the Christmas tree – a tangible piece of their creativity and effort. These aren’t just decorations; they’re cherished memories, developmental milestones, and powerful sparks for communication.

In a world increasingly driven by screens, the simple act of crafting offers a crucial opportunity for hands-on learning, sensory exploration, and meaningful interaction. This blog post isn’t just about sharing adorable craft ideas; it’s about empowering parents to harness the inherent benefits of holiday crafting to foster their child’s cognitive, motor, and most importantly, communication skills. We believe that every child deserves to find their voice and express themselves freely, and sometimes, that journey begins with glitter, glue, and a whole lot of festive fun. Join us as we explore a delightful array of easy Christmas ornament crafts that will not only deck your halls but also encourage your little one to speak their minds and hearts.

Why Crafting is More Than Just Fun: Developmental Benefits for Your Child

Crafting is far more than just a way to pass the time; it’s a powerhouse for child development, subtly nurturing essential skills that will benefit them for years to come. When little hands get busy with paint, paper, and glue, a symphony of learning unfolds.

Fine Motor Skill Development

Think about all the intricate movements involved in crafting: squeezing a glue bottle, cutting with child-safe scissors, peeling stickers, twisting pipe cleaners, or carefully placing a bead. These actions are vital for strengthening the small muscles in the fingers, hands, and wrists. This fine motor dexterity is a foundational skill for future tasks like writing, drawing, dressing themselves, and even using utensils. Each craft provides a playful workout for these muscles, improving precision and control without your child even realizing they’re “working.”

Cognitive Growth and Problem-Solving

Crafting isn’t just about following instructions; it’s a creative problem-solving exercise. Children learn to plan, adapt, and make decisions. “Which color should I use here?” “How do I make this stick?” “What happens if I try this?” These questions, whether verbalized or thought, stimulate critical thinking. They learn about cause and effect, spatial reasoning, and sequence. When a craft doesn’t go exactly as planned, they learn resilience and how to troubleshoot, invaluable life lessons wrapped in festive paper.

Language and Communication Opportunities

Perhaps one of the most significant benefits, especially for families seeking to support their child’s communication journey, is the rich language environment crafting creates. From naming colors, shapes, and textures (“This glitter is sparkly!”), to describing actions (“I’m cutting the paper,” “You’re sticking the pom-pom”), to following multi-step directions, every step of a craft is an opportunity for language. Asking questions like, “What should we make next?” or “Tell me about your snowflake,” encourages expressive language and storytelling.

For a parent whose child might be hesitant to communicate, crafting provides a low-pressure, engaging context. They can point, gesture, or make sounds related to the activity, building confidence before moving to words. We at Speech Blubs understand this deeply. Our founders themselves grew up with speech problems, and they created the very tool they wished they had – a joyful solution blending scientific principles with play. Many of the words and sounds your child practices during crafts can be reinforced and expanded upon through our unique video modeling methodology, where children learn by watching and imitating their peers. This “smart screen time” provides a powerful complement to hands-on activities, helping children connect the words they learn to the world around them. Discover more about our research-backed approach by visiting our Research page.

Emotional Expression and Confidence Building

There’s immense pride in creating something from scratch. When a child proudly displays their homemade ornament, they’re not just showing off a craft; they’re showcasing their hard work, creativity, and growing abilities. This boosts self-esteem and fosters a sense of accomplishment. Crafting also provides an outlet for emotional expression, allowing children to channel their feelings into a creative endeavor.

Sensory Exploration

The world of crafts is a feast for the senses. The feel of rough pinecones, smooth yarn, sticky glue, or soft cotton balls; the smell of cinnamon sticks; the vibrant colors of paint and glitter. Engaging multiple senses simultaneously helps children process and understand their environment more deeply, creating stronger neural connections and aiding in overall learning.

At Speech Blubs, we are committed to providing an immediate, effective, and joyful solution for the 1 in 4 children who need speech support. We believe in harnessing every available resource to empower children to “speak their minds and hearts.” Ready to see how Speech Blubs can make a difference? Download Speech Blubs on the App Store or get it on Google Play today!

Our Top Easy Christmas Ornament Crafts for Kids

Now, let’s dive into some wonderfully easy and engaging Christmas ornament crafts perfect for little hands. Remember, the goal isn’t perfection, but participation, process, and plenty of playful communication!

1. Salt Dough Ornaments

Salt dough ornaments are a timeless classic for a reason – they’re simple to make, incredibly versatile, and create lasting keepsakes.

Materials:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup water (you might need a little more or less)
• Cookie cutters (Christmas shapes like stars, trees, gingerbread men)
• Straw or pencil for making a hole
• Paints, glitter, markers, or beads for decorating
• Ribbon or string for hanging

Instructions:

1. Mix: In a large bowl, help your child combine the flour and salt. Slowly add water, mixing until a firm dough forms. Knead for about 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. This is a great sensory experience, and you can talk about how the dough feels – soft, squishy, smooth.
2. Roll: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
3. Cut: Use cookie cutters to cut out festive shapes. Talk about the shapes you’re making – “Look, a star!” “That’s a Christmas tree!”
4. Hole: Use a straw or pencil to carefully make a hole at the top of each ornament for hanging.
5. Bake: Place ornaments on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 250°F (120°C) for 2-3 hours, or until completely hard. Alternatively, let them air dry for 24-48 hours, flipping occasionally.
6. Decorate: Once cooled and hardened, unleash the creativity! Paint them, add glitter, glue on beads, or draw designs with markers. This is where you can encourage descriptive language: “What color are you using?” “Is that glitter sparkly?” “Tell me about your design!”

Developmental & Communication Boost:

• Following Multi-Step Directions: The baking process is a perfect chance to practice sequence words: “First, we mix. Then, we roll. Next, we cut.”
• Sensory Vocabulary: Describing the dough’s texture, the warmth of the oven, the vibrant colors of paint.
• Shape and Color Recognition: Naming the cookie cutter shapes and paint colors.
• Action Verbs: “Mixing,” “rolling,” “cutting,” “painting,” “decorating.”

For a child who loves imaginative play and practicing new words, our “Animal Kingdom” or “Vehicle Fun” sections in Speech Blubs can extend the fun. If they make a star, they can then explore other shapes in our app, reinforcing what they learned during the craft. Our app offers interactive lessons that build on these real-world experiences, making learning cohesive and fun.

2. Popsicle Stick Ornaments (Stars, Trees, Snowflakes)

Simple craft sticks can transform into charming ornaments with a little imagination.

Materials:

• Popsicle sticks (regular or jumbo)
• Craft glue or hot glue (adult supervision required for hot glue)
• Paint, glitter, pom-poms, buttons, sequins, or small beads
• Ribbon or string for hanging

Instructions:

1. Form Shapes:
   • Stars: Glue five popsicle sticks together to form a star shape. “How many sticks do we need for a star?”
   • Trees: Glue three or four sticks into a triangle for a tree, adding a small piece for the trunk. “Look, a triangle tree!”
   • Snowflakes: Glue three sticks together in the center to form an asterisk, then add smaller pieces for branches. “It looks like a snowflake!”
2. Decorate: Once the glue is dry, let your child paint or decorate the shapes. Use glitter for sparkle, pom-poms for ornaments on the tree, or buttons for a unique texture.
3. Hang: Glue a loop of ribbon or string to the back for hanging.

Developmental & Communication Boost:

• Counting: “How many sticks are you using?”
• Shape Identification: Identifying stars, triangles, and snowflakes.
• Color Matching: “Can you find a red pom-pom for the tree?”
• Spatial Concepts: “Put the pom-pom on the tree,” “Glue it between the sticks.”

If your child enjoys building and creating shapes, our app has sections that focus on spatial concepts and vocabulary, perfect for reinforcing the language used during this craft. Plus, seeing peers in our video modeling feature create and describe similar objects can inspire them to articulate their own ideas more confidently.

3. Pinecone Critters and Sparkle Ornaments

Nature provides some of the best crafting materials!

Materials:

• Pinecones (collected from outdoors, cleaned and dried)
• Googly eyes, small pom-poms, felt scraps, pipe cleaners
• Craft glue
• Glitter, craft paint
• Ribbon or string

Instructions:

1. Prepare: Ensure pinecones are clean and dry. You can bake them on a low setting for an hour to kill any bugs, but be careful of fumes.
2. Decorate (Sparkle): For sparkle ornaments, let your child paint the tips of the pinecone scales with glue and sprinkle glitter on them. Talk about the sparkly texture.
3. Decorate (Critters): For critters, use googly eyes, pom-poms (for noses, ears, or hats), and felt scraps or pipe cleaners (for wings, scarves, or legs) to transform the pinecone into an owl, reindeer, or a whimsical forest creature. This encourages imaginative language: “What kind of animal are we making?” “What does a reindeer say?”
4. Hang: Glue a loop of ribbon to the top.

Developmental & Communication Boost:

• Nature Exploration: Talking about where pinecones come from, their texture (“pointy,” “rough“).
• Imaginative Play & Storytelling: Creating characters and giving them names or backstories.
• Body Part Vocabulary: “Eyes,” “nose,” “ears,” “wings,” “legs” for the critters.

This craft is wonderful for sparking imaginative conversations and animal sounds. Our “Animal Kingdom” section within Speech Blubs is a fantastic resource to follow up on this activity, allowing children to practice animal sounds and names through engaging video modeling. It’s a seamless way to transition from hands-on play to “smart screen time” that reinforces learning. Don’t forget, you can try it all out with a 7-day free trial when you choose our Yearly plan! Create your account and begin your 7-day free trial today.

4. Yarn-Wrapped Ornaments

These are wonderfully tactile and allow for great color exploration.

Materials:

• Cardboard shapes (stars, circles, trees) cut from cereal boxes or craft cardboard
• Yarn in various Christmas colors
• Craft glue
• Decorations: pom-poms, beads, sequins

Instructions:

1. Cut Shapes: Help your child cut out cardboard shapes. These can be simple circles, stars, or tree shapes. “Let’s cut a circle!”
2. Start Wrapping: Apply a dot of glue to the back of the cardboard shape, then press the end of a piece of yarn onto it. Begin wrapping the yarn around the cardboard, overlapping as you go.
3. Change Colors: When your child wants to change colors, simply glue down the end of the current yarn and start with a new one. This is a great opportunity to talk about colors and patterns.
4. Decorate: Once the shape is fully wrapped, secure the end with glue. Then, add small decorations like pom-poms or beads for extra flair.
5. Hang: Add a loop of yarn or ribbon for hanging.

Developmental & Communication Boost:

• Fine Motor Skills: The wrapping motion is excellent for hand-eye coordination and finger strength.
• Color Identification & Sorting: Using different colored yarns and decorations.
• Pattern Recognition: Discussing how the yarn creates a pattern.
• Texture Vocabulary: “Soft yarn,” “bumpy pom-poms.”

For children who enjoy hands-on activities, our app offers engaging activities that can build on their understanding of colors, shapes, and textures, all while practicing speech. For a child learning early words, describing the “red yarn” or “soft yarn” can then be practiced in Speech Blubs’ “Colors” or “Touch & Feel” sections, ensuring they associate the words with real-world objects.

5. Handprint/Footprint Ornaments

These personalized ornaments are truly cherished keepsakes that capture a moment in time.

Materials:

• Air-dry clay or salt dough (recipe above)
• Rolling pin
• Cookie cutters (optional, for shaping)
• Acrylic paint (child-safe)
• Paintbrushes
• Glitter, sequins (optional)
• Ribbon or string
• Clear sealant spray (optional, for durability)

Instructions:

1. Prepare Clay/Dough: Roll out the clay or salt dough to about 1/2 inch thickness.
2. Make Print: Gently press your child’s hand or foot into the clay/dough to make an impression. Be patient and make it fun! “Let’s make your handprint!”
3. Shape & Hole: If using a cookie cutter, cut around the print. Use a straw to make a hole at the top for hanging.
4. Dry/Bake: Allow air-dry clay to dry completely (check package instructions, usually 24-72 hours). If using salt dough, bake as per the salt dough instructions.
5. Decorate: Once dry, let your child paint their handprint or footprint. They can turn a handprint into a Santa beard, a reindeer, or simply paint it a festive color. Talk about their fingers and toes!
6. Seal: Once paint is dry, you can spray with a clear sealant for protection (adult step).
7. Hang: Thread a ribbon through the hole.

Developmental & Communication Boost:

• Body Part Identification: “Where’s your thumb?” “Can you show me your toes?”
• Naming Emotions: “Are you happy with your handprint?”
• Descriptive Language: “My hand is small,” “It’s red paint.”
• Sensory Input: The feeling of clay on their skin.

This craft naturally lends itself to conversations about body parts, feelings, and colors, which are all key areas in early language development. Speech Blubs offers engaging activities that reinforce these concepts, helping children vocalize the words and sounds associated with their own bodies and emotions through interactive play with their peers. This kind of personal connection helps children build confidence in using new words. You can also explore our Preliminary Screener to understand more about your child’s communication development and get a personalized plan.

6. Photo Ornaments

Capture precious memories in a simple, heartfelt ornament.

Materials:

• Small photos of your child or family
• Cardboard or craft foam
• Craft glue or glue stick
• Glitter, sequins, small pom-poms, stickers
• Ribbon or string
• Scissors (child-safe)

Instructions:

1. Choose Photos: Let your child pick their favorite small photos. Talk about the people in the pictures: “Who is this person?” “What are they doing?”
2. Cut Shapes: Help your child cut the photos into desired shapes (circles, squares, stars). Cut slightly larger shapes from cardboard or craft foam to create a frame.
3. Glue & Decorate: Glue the photo onto the cardboard/foam backing. Then, let your child decorate the “frame” around the photo with glitter, sequins, or stickers.
4. Hang: Punch a hole at the top and thread a ribbon for hanging.

Developmental & Communication Boost:

• Memory & Recall: Discussing events or people in the photos.
• Expressive Language: Encouraging stories about the pictures.
• Vocabulary Expansion: Naming family members, describing outfits, discussing emotions captured in photos.

This is a fantastic craft for fostering narratives and descriptive language. When your child talks about the people in the photos, they’re practicing personal storytelling. Our app offers activities focused on social communication and expanding vocabulary related to daily life, which can be a wonderful extension of these family-focused conversations. See what other parents are saying about their child’s success with Speech Blubs by visiting our Testimonials page.

7. Q-Tip Snowflake Ornaments

A unique way to create delicate-looking snowflakes that are easy for little ones.

Materials:

• Cotton swabs (Q-tips)
• Craft glue
• Cardboard circle as a base (cut from cereal box)
• Glitter (optional)
• Ribbon or string

Instructions:

1. Base: Cut small circles (about 2-3 inches in diameter) from cardboard to serve as the base.
2. Glue & Arrange: Have your child apply a dot of glue in the center of the cardboard circle. Show them how to arrange Q-tips around the center to form a snowflake pattern. They can break Q-tips into smaller pieces to create more intricate designs. Talk about the lines and patterns they are making. “Look, a straight line!” “It’s a cross!”
3. Decorate: Once the glue dries, they can add a sprinkle of glitter for a frosty look.
4. Hang: Glue a loop of string to the back.

Developmental & Communication Boost:

• Spatial Reasoning: Arranging the Q-tips to form a pattern.
• Fine Motor Precision: Placing small objects carefully.
• Vocabulary for Shapes/Patterns: “Lines,” “points,” “cross,” “star.”
• Following Visual Instructions: Replicating a snowflake shape.

This craft is great for developing precision and understanding simple geometric concepts. If your child enjoys the symmetry of snowflakes, you can expand on learning about shapes and patterns within the Speech Blubs app, where our unique video modeling helps children learn by imitating peers, making the learning process interactive and engaging.

8. Cinnamon Stick Bundles

These not only look rustic and festive but also fill your home with a delightful aroma!

Materials:

• 3-5 cinnamon sticks per ornament
• Thin ribbon or string
• Small dried orange slices, star anise, small pinecones, or jingle bells for embellishment
• Craft glue

Instructions:

1. Bundle: Help your child gather 3-5 cinnamon sticks and tie them tightly together in a bundle with ribbon. “Let’s count the cinnamon sticks!” “One, two, three…”
2. Embellish: Use a dot of glue to attach small embellishments like a dried orange slice, a star anise, a tiny pinecone, or a jingle bell to the front of the bundle. Talk about the smell of the cinnamon and orange!
3. Hang: Form a loop with the leftover ribbon for hanging.

Developmental & Communication Boost:

• Counting: Counting the cinnamon sticks.
• Sensory Vocabulary: Describing the smell (“spicy,” “sweet,” “Christmasy“), and texture (“hard,” “rough“).
• Action Verbs: “Tie,” “glue,” “smell.”
• Sequencing: “First, we tie the sticks. Then, we add the orange.”

This craft is a feast for the senses, especially smell. Discussing the different aromas and textures helps build a rich descriptive vocabulary. For children exploring sensory words and concepts, Speech Blubs has activities that can reinforce these descriptions through interactive play, connecting sounds and words to experiences. Our mission is to empower children to “speak their minds and hearts,” and engaging all the senses through crafts and “smart screen time” helps them do just that. Download Speech Blubs on the App Store or get it on Google Play to get started!

Maximizing Language During Craft Time: Tips for Parents

Craft time is a golden opportunity for language development. Here’s how you can make the most of it:

• Narrate Your Actions: Talk about what you are doing, even if your child isn’t actively responding yet. “I’m squeezing the glue,” “Now I’m cutting the paper.”
• Ask Open-Ended Questions: Instead of yes/no questions, ask questions that encourage more than a one-word answer. “What do you like about your ornament?” “Tell me about this color.”
• Follow Your Child’s Lead: If your child is fascinated by a particular color or texture, focus on that. Expand on their interests.
• Use Descriptive Language: Introduce new adjectives and adverbs. “This glitter is sparkly and shiny.” “Let’s put the pom-pom carefully on top.”
• Model and Expand: If your child says “tree,” you can expand with, “Yes, a green Christmas tree!”
• Sing Songs and Rhymes: Incorporate holiday songs or rhymes related to the crafts. This helps with phonological awareness.
• Celebrate Efforts, Not Perfection: Praise their effort and creativity, not just the final product. “You worked so hard on that!” “I love how colorful your ornament is!”

For a parent whose 3-year-old ‘late talker’ loves animals, making a pinecone reindeer ornament offers a fun, motivating way to practice ‘reindeer’ and ‘nose’ sounds, leading naturally into the “Animal Kingdom” section of Speech Blubs to further practice animal sounds and names. We are a powerful tool for family connection, turning ordinary moments into extraordinary learning opportunities.

How Speech Blubs Supports Your Child’s Communication Journey

At Speech Blubs, we are more than just an app; we are a community and a resource built on personal experience and scientific principles. Our company was born from the personal experiences of our founders, who all grew up with speech problems and created the tool they wished they had. We understand the challenges and joys of fostering communication in children.

We offer a one-of-a-kind “smart screen time” experience, specifically designed to be an active, engaging alternative to passive viewing like cartoons. Our unique video modeling methodology teaches complex communication skills by having children learn by watching and imitating their peers. This natural way of learning, combined with play, makes speech development fun and effective.

When you engage in crafts, you’re building a foundation of words and concepts. Speech Blubs then acts as a powerful supplement, reinforcing that vocabulary and encouraging vocalization in a structured, yet playful environment. It’s not about guaranteed outcomes of public speaking in a month, but about fostering a love for communication, building confidence, reducing frustration, developing key foundational skills, and creating joyful family learning moments.

We offer transparent pricing to make our beneficial tools accessible:

• Monthly Plan: $14.99 per month.
• Yearly Plan: $59.99 per year, which breaks down to just $4.99/month. This is an incredible value, allowing you to Save 66% compared to the monthly plan!

Choosing the Yearly Plan not only gives you superior value but also unlocks exclusive features:

• A 7-day free trial to explore all the amazing content.
• Access to the extra Reading Blubs app, enhancing early literacy skills.
• Early access to new updates and a dedicated 24-hour support response time for any questions you might have.

The Monthly plan, while an option, does not include these valuable benefits. We encourage you to choose the Yearly plan to get the free trial and the full suite of features designed to support your child’s journey to speaking their minds and hearts.

Unsure if your child could benefit? Take our quick 3-minute preliminary screener to get a simple assessment and a free 7-day trial when you select the yearly subscription. It involves 9 simple questions and provides an assessment and next-steps plan.

Conclusion

The holiday season is a magical time, and creating easy Christmas ornament crafts with your children adds an extra layer of warmth, personalization, and joy to the festivities. Beyond the sparkling decorations, these activities are invaluable for fostering fine motor skills, cognitive development, emotional expression, and crucially, language and communication. Every glue stick, every sprinkle of glitter, every shape cut out is an opportunity for your child to explore, learn, and grow.

By engaging in these hands-on activities, you’re not just making ornaments; you’re building cherished memories and laying crucial groundwork for your child’s ability to communicate effectively. And when paired with the engaging, scientifically-backed approach of Speech Blubs, these learning opportunities are amplified, helping your child connect their real-world experiences to structured language practice. We are here to provide an immediate, effective, and joyful solution for the 1 in 4 children who need speech support, empowering them to speak their minds and hearts.

Ready to embark on a festive crafting adventure that also boosts your child’s communication skills? Start your 7-day free trial today! Download Speech Blubs on the App Store or get it on Google Play to begin. Remember to choose the Yearly plan during signup to unlock your free trial, the bonus Reading Blubs app, early updates, and dedicated 24-hour support, all for the best value at just $59.99 per year!

FAQ

Q1: What age group are these crafts best for?

A1: Many of these crafts are adaptable for various ages. Younger children (toddlers and preschoolers) will need more adult assistance with steps like cutting and gluing, while older children (school-aged) can work more independently and add intricate details. Always prioritize child-safe materials and supervision for appropriate tasks.

Q2: How can I make these crafts even more beneficial for my child’s speech development?

A2: Focus on creating a rich language environment during craft time. Use descriptive words for colors, shapes, and textures. Narrate your actions, ask open-ended questions, and encourage your child to describe what they are doing and seeing. Connecting the craft to concepts practiced in apps like Speech Blubs can also reinforce vocabulary and sounds.

Q3: My child tends to get frustrated easily with crafts. How can I help?

A3: Start with very simple crafts that have quick results. Emphasize the process and effort rather than a perfect outcome. Offer lots of praise for their participation and unique ideas. Keep sessions short, and be prepared to step in and offer assistance or redirection without taking over. The goal is enjoyment and engagement, not perfection.

Q4: How does Speech Blubs integrate with these hands-on activities?

A4: Speech Blubs acts as a powerful complement. The vocabulary, concepts (like colors, shapes, animals, actions), and social interaction practiced during crafting can be reinforced and expanded upon within the app’s interactive “smart screen time” activities. Our video modeling feature allows children to see and imitate peers, strengthening their understanding and confidence in using new words and sounds related to their real-world experiences.